Last Name
by jadesabre75
Summary: Zekk is on a mission for the Emperor and meets a girl. It's all mushy and romantic and crap. - Zekk/OC - non canon
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Notes: I never liked Zekk until after Exile and he's kinda grown on me. My son loves this song by Carrie Underwood and for some reason when I was listening to it the other day I thought of Zekk. Man, I need to get a life. I went ahead and put the song at the beginning because I meant for this to be short, but it ran away with itself. So there will be a few posts. As always comments, even brief ones, are welcome! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this crap, but I wish I did. Jacen would still be alive and J/J would have a few kids by now.**

"Last Name"  
By Carrie Underwood

_Last night, I got served a little bit too much of that poison, baby  
Last night, I did things I'm not proud of  
And I got a little crazy  
Last night, I met a guy on the dance floor and I let him call me baby _

_[Chorus:]  
And I don't even know his last name  
My momma would be so ashamed  
It started off, "hey cutie where you from"  
And then it turned into oh no, what have I done  
And I don't even know his last name _

_We left, the club, 'bout around 3 o'clock in the morning  
His Pinto, sitting there, in the parking lot, well it should have been a warning  
I had no clue what I was getting into  
So, I'll blame it on the Cuervo  
Oh where did my manners go? _

_[Chorus:]  
I don't even know his last name  
Oh My momma would be so ashamed  
It started off, "hey cutie where you from"  
And then it turned into "oh no, what have I done"  
And I don't even know his last name _

_Here we go _

_Today, I woke up, thinking about Elvis somewhere in Vegas  
I'm not sure how I got here  
Or how this ring on my left hand just appeared outta nowhere  
I gotta go take the chips and the Pinto and hit the road  
They say what happens here, stays here, all of this will disappear _

_There's just one little problem _

_[Chorus:]  
I don't even know my last name  
Oh My momma would be so ashamed  
It started off, "hey cutie where you from"  
And then it turned into "oh no, what have I done"  
And I don't even know my last name _

_Oh, yeah _

The night air didn't have quite the effect she had been hoping it would. Mindlessly she had let the big man lead her off the dance floor and out the door. She should have known better. Frag, she should have known when she saw his speeder that he was trouble. It looked like it had seen better days and that was being nice. The alcoholic haze that surrounded her brain prevented her from stopping the man's advances and she knew she was going to regret this in the morning.

She couldn't believe she was so drunk that she was letting a stranger paw her. Usually she hated it when the guys at the club got like this. Of course, she wasn't usually this drunk either. Cami was going to get her butt kicked when she found her.

"_Oh come on. You never go out anymore. Just one night at the club, love. You know you want to. Who knows, you might find a nice guy." _

"_Yeah, because the last thing I want is another man in my life." Kara scoffed at her friend. _

His hand snaking down her leg brought her back to the present and she might have been drunk but she knew that she wasn't going there. As nice as she could, she pushed his hand off of her and tried to pull away.

"Where you going sugar." He rasped into her ear as he pulled her back against him.

"I need to sit down." She told him lamely, mentally kicking herself for not just telling him to bug off and leave her alone. His grip tightened around her waist and she sobered up a little as the fear started to rush through her veins.

"But we're not done here." He told her, his voice becoming harsher.

"I'm sure you can find someone else to dance with." Kara offered, again attempting to extracate herself from the man. She cried out quietly, when he jerked her arm and squeezed it painfully.

"I don't want anyone else." He sneered and she felt an involuntary shudder travel through her.

"I think the lady wants you to leave her alone." Came a soft, but steely voice.

* * *

Zekk stood in the shadows of the building watching the entrance intently. Technically he was working, but that hadn't stopped him from purchasing a few libations from the bar after he had gotten here. He was in a crabby mood and he had hoped the alcohol would improve that. It hadn't.

Sometimes being an Imperial Knight was a dream come true. Considering he had started out a scruffy little orphan who didn't know a dinner fork from a fusion cutter he had come a long way. He and Kyp were Jag's right hand men, along with Valin and he loved the adventure and sense of purpose the position had given him. Not to mention it had given him the opportunity to be around his few remaining friends.

Covert jobs were not his favorite though. They usually left him on his own and with too much time to think. Not good as far as he was concerned on either point. Sighing, he downed the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the duracrete wall next to him. It joined the other four he had emptied and he suddenly had a thought that he really needed to stop. Jag had sent him here for a reason, and it wasn't to get drunk. Though the prospect was enticing.

Two figures walked, if you wanted to call it that, out the front door and he regarded them for a moment before he realized they weren't who he was looking for. He went back to toying with the idea of another drink when he felt a spike of fear from the couple he had dismissed. There were plenty of beautiful women here and he had no doubt that scoring would be relatively easy for most people. Even the behemoth that he was watching now. Anger traveled along the same current the fear had as he fought with himself about whether or not to interfere.

She wasn't dressed nearly as provocative as the majority of the women he had seen tonight, but the effect was still devastating on him. The skirt showed off her kilometer long legs and the wispy, short-sleeved blouse covered all the important things. For him, the more covered a woman was, the worse his imagination became. Her blonde hair was long and fell in a curtain around her shoulders, shining brightly in the inky darkness that surrounded the club. He flicked his glance to the man behind her and he felt anger creep up.

Unconsciously he made his decision and started towards the pair. Jag was going to kill him later, but right now he couldn't think about that.

"I'm sure you can find someone else to dance with." Zekk heard her say and right then there was no turning back.

"I don't want anyone else." He sneered and he saw her shudder at the man's words.

"I think the lady wants you to leave her alone." He heard his own voice say. The man looked up in a stupor and Zekk wasn't surprised to see his pupils were dilated. He was obviously doing something besides drinking and that could get ugly fast. The man held fast to her arm and when Zekk glanced over at her he almost smiled at the fire mixed with fright he saw in her eyes.

"Mind your own business, boy." The slurred words fell on deaf ears as Zekk walked closer and grabbed the man's wrist, squeezing it until his fingers popped open and freed her arm. She fell forward but managed to get her feet under her and stay upright.

"Now," Zekk started as he moved closer and lowered his voice. "I suggest you disappear and don't bother the lady anymore."

The man snickered and moved back from Zekk, rubbing his wrist. "You think just because she wouldn't put out for me that she will you." Zekk took a deep breath and forced the anger back down.

"Don't make me change my mind." Zekk told him and saw a momentary flicker of fear in the man's eyes. Grunting, he gave her one last look and walked back into the club.

Zekk waited until the door had closed behind him, then turned to make sure she was all right. Her eyes were closed as she leaned against a duracrete pillar. Even in the darkness he could see that a bruise was starting to form on her lily white skin and he frowned. Walking over, he reached out to touch her shoulder. When he touched skin she jerked back, losing her balance and forcing him to catch her before she fell.

"I'm sorry." She told him as he steadied her. "I thought you were that guy."

"No problem. Did you come here alone?" He asked, trying to keep his mind off the feel of her skin under his fingertips. She trembled slightly and he realized that she was probably starting to sober up and feel the effects of the ordeal.

"No, I came with a friend but I haven't seen her in a while. I think she left."

"Come on. I'll take you home." He said as he pulled her gently towards his speeder, pushing the guilt of not completing his mission to the side. He could deal with that later. There was no way he was leaving her out here to fend off another loser.

She managed to give him directions to the apartment she and Cami shared and they drove there in silence. Her brain was still foggy, but all she needed was a quick shower and some sleep and she would be good as new. They came to a stop and she realized that they were there already. Her hand fumbled for the handle and she sighed, realizing she wasn't as sober as she thought. A chuckle sounded from beside her and she turned to look at the man she had blindly trusted to get her home.

His long dark hair made her fingers itch to run through it and she chastised herself for the thought immediately. She had gotten herself into enough trouble tonight. There was no need adding to it, but whether it was the alcohol still speaking or just her own mind she couldn't help but admire his attractiveness. His emerald green eyes were filled with laughter as he reached over and opened the door for her. She closed her eyes and tried not to react when he accidentally brushed her breast with his arm. The only way she knew it was an accident was by the blush that stole through his cheeks at the contact. Had he meant to do it on purpose, there was no way he would have blushed.

"Thank you." She whispered, as her words stopped him from fully returning to his side of the speeder. They stared at each other for a moment before he broke eye contact and opened his own door. Mindlessly, she watched him come around the front of the speeder and admired his sure gait. Not to mention the way he filled out the shirt and pants he wore. Her door opened and a hand appeared. Grabbing it he helped hoist her up and out of the seat. Her balance was still a tad off and she leaned into him, igniting the simmering heat that she realized had burned since he had first touched her.

Shame ran through her at her wanton thoughts and she saw him frown.

"I'm sorry, I usually don't drink so much and I'm usually not a lush." He laughed softly at her statement and she felt goose bumps break out on her arms.

"I understand. Don't worry, I'm not easily offended." He offered as he pulled her away from the vehicle and shut the door behind her. _But apparently I'm easily affected._ He thought to himself as she leaned on his arm and started to walk towards the front entrance. A slow burn had been running through him for the last 20 minutes and it was annoying him to no end. They paused at the entrance and she turned to him, as if to dismiss him.

"I'm not leaving you down here. I'll walk you to your door." He told her before she could say anything.

"You don't have to do that. Really I'm…"

"If I let go of you right now, you'd fall." He told her with a teasing voice. She frowned briefly then snorted.

"You're right." Kara conceded and turned slowly to put the code into the door. A beep sounded and the door swooshed open. Zekk led her through it then let her take the lead. Thankfully she didn't live on the top floor. They walked one set of stairs and she turned to go down a hallway, her shadow following her silently. She came to a door and input another code, the door opening like the one before it. Pausing briefly, she turned to give him a smile.

"I didn't even ask your name." She said, a frown coming to her face again. Zekk chuckled and raised his fingers to her forehead, smoothing out the lines the frown had brought to her face.

"Zekk." He told her quietly.

"Thank you, Zekk."

"You're very welcome, Kara." He responded, something drawing him closer to her. Her eyes widened slightly as her heart sped up. But he didn't kiss her like she thought he would, at least not on the lips. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and pulled back. "Just be more careful next time." He admonished her playfully and she found herself returning the smile he gave her.

"I will." Kara responded, then watched him until he disappeared around the corner. She frowned again. She hadn't told him her name.

* * *

**Leave some love!**


	2. Chapter 2

**As usual:** **Disclaimer: I don't own this crap, but I wish I did. Jacen would still be alive and J/J would have a few kids by now. **

* * *

_One month later… _

She had to be crazy. That's all there was to it. There was no logical reason she was here yet again, expecting to see him. What was it her dad used to say: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Yeah, that pretty much covered it.

Kara sipped her drink and sighed. Cami and her friends were loud and obnoxious tonight, but it was probably just her that though that. It wasn't her friend's fault that Zekk wasn't here. She scanned the room again, almost smacking herself for being so weak when she jerked in her seat.

He was here. Standing over in the shadows like he had been last time. She saw his eyes widen then turn in her direction and they seemingly lit up when they finally rested on her. She smiled and he smiled back, sending tingles through her. Sighing, she stood up and didn't pay attention to Cami or her friends as they threw questions at her. The smile stayed on his face as she walked towards him and she saw a flicker of something in his green orbs.

"Hi." She said quietly, when she finally stopped in front of him.

"Hi yourself." He responded. "I see you're not here alone this time?" Zekk commented, mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"No. I didn't come alone. I made sure Cami didn't leave me this time."

"Good." Zekk wasn't sure where this conversation was going to go. Kara hadn't left his thoughts for the last month and to actually find her here was more than he had expected. Though he was immensely glad he had. Not for the first time, he wished he were more at ease with the fairer sex. She didn't seem to mind though, moving to stand next to him. He chuckled and took a drink of his whiskey.

"Decided to actually come in the building this time?" She questioned, causing him to outright laugh.

"I was in it last time too, just not when you saw me."

"Ah. Are you here for something in particular?" She ventured, her nerves kicking in when she realized she was flirting with him. He turned his head to pin her with his gaze and she bit her lip lightly. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Maybe." He responded, the green in his gaze deepening and holding her captive. How many times had she looked for that specific color in the last month? Searched anything and everything she could get her hands on but still came up empty handed. Deciding you only lived once, Kara took a flying leap.

"Do you want to dance?" She asked, her cheeks painted red as she recognized how forward she was being.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kara." Zekk told her quietly, the heat in his gaze not dimming.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I'll just…" She turned to go and he grabbed her arm gently stopping her escape. Her head whipped around to his and she saw a small smile on his face.

"I didn't say no."

* * *

They hadn't left the dance floor since she had first asked him to dance. By now he was drunk and he knew it, but he didn't seem to be able to drown the fire that was raging in him. Maybe if he stopped touching her he could, but his self-control was practically non-existent at the moment. Her body molded to his perfectly and he had pretty much been aware of the lack of room in his groin for the last three hours. The alcohol tended to kill the pain of that though.

Not that he was the only one drinking. She was knocking back her fair share and he knew that he had to stop soon. One of them needed to be able to make sure she got home safely. The song changed to a slow beat and he almost groaned at the thought. Frag, he hadn't even kissed her yet. He watched as she set the empty glass on the tray of a passing waitress and moved to put her hands back around his neck.

There was no reason she should feel safe around Zekk. Force, this was only the second time she'd met him but she'd never felt so comfortable around a guy before. Usually most of them in the club were only here for one reason and while she had felt that he was indeed interested, he hadn't made a move on her. She frowned as the thought that he might not find her attractive raced through her brain. Zekk wrapped his arms around her waist tighter and chuckled lightly near her ear.

"Oh, I assure you my dear, I find you very attractive." He whispered, one hand dropping down to her backside and moving in a slow circle. Kara leaned back slightly, a confused look on her face and Zekk finally stopped fighting it. His lips descended on hers and he kissed her lightly. Shock prevented her from reacting right away but when her hands tangled in his hair all bets were off. Fueled by the lust and alcohol, Zekk increased the pressure of his lips on her and nearly moaned when she introduced her tongue to his mouth shyly.

No one around them paid any attention, but through the haze of desire, he realized this wasn't the best place for this. Reining himself in, he rested his forehead against her temple and gave himself a couple of deep breaths.

"Come home with me?" He asked, hoping she would say yes. She moved her head back so she could look in his eyes and gave him a smile.

"Yes."

* * *

The ride to his hotel room was short, but his biggest fear right now was that she would change her mind before they got there. Not that he would force her to do anything, but he needed to purge her from his system. He had been so distracted over the last month that Jaina had practically ordered him back here. She had convinced him that he needed to find out if these feelings he had were just lust or genuine. Course there was probably a better way to go about it and she hadn't told him to sleep with Kara, but right now his hormones were in charge. He found a close spot to the doors and he was sure they literally ran to the lift. Once the lift door closed, Kara practically jumped him and all doubt was erased. For once he was glad his room was towards the top of the building.

Zekk didn't wait for the door to close before he pushed her against the wall next to it, his hands never stopping their roaming. Her fingers fumbled with the snap on his pants and he moved his attention from her mouth to her neck. He sampled her creamy skin as she finally managed to open the offending fabric and snaked her hand into his boxers. Her small hand stroked him and he momentarily lost his concentration, his mouth stilling on her neck as he tried to recover conscious thought. She continued her actions and he finally moved one hand to stop her.

"If you keep that up, then playtime is going to be over." He told her softly, his eyes squeezed shut as he fought for control of his body.

"Are you planning on kicking me out anytime soon?" She asked playfully, her hand trapped between them and unable to torture him for the moment.

"No, but I'd like to last longer than a few seconds gorgeous." Zekk removed her hand and grabbed her wrists pushing them against the wall on either side of her head. Their gazes met and he felt his body respond to her obvious need. He kissed her again, gently as he tried to slow things down. She resisted the pace at first, wanting it quick but eventually gave in as he kept things dialed down.

"Zekk, please." She whispered as he trailed kisses down her throat. He bit back a curse as his body jumped at her plea. Putting both her wrists in one hand, he kept her arms pinned above her head and moved his attention to her breasts. The shirt she wore was low cut, but again modest in comparison to most of those he had seen tonight. His lips teased the swells as she tried to free her hands and he brought his other hand up to travel up her side. Brushing his hand gently over her nipples he smiled at the sounds she made.

His mouth moved lower over her and she gasped when he took one of her nipples into his mouth through her shirt. The material did nothing to inhibit the pleasure that shot through her as he lathed the small bud with his tongue and nipped it with his teeth. He moved his attention to the other one and she couldn't bite back the moan this time. Kara bucked when he moved back up to her mouth and he found he had changed his mind about going slow.

"I want you Kara." He whispered in her ear and she nearly wept at his words.

"Yes." She told him breathlessly, as his free hand ran up her thigh and cupped her bottom. Finally, he let her arms go and she let them fall to his shoulders as his other hand joined the first. He pulled her skirt up around her waist and slowly caressed her thighs, his tongue tracing her collarbone. Kara raised one of her legs to his waist and he pushed against her, feeling her burst of pleasure through the force.

Slowly, he brought a hand around to the patch of curls in front and lightly slipped a finger up the fold there. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and he smiled. Before he knew it, her hands left his shoulders and went down to push his pants down his hips.

"I think someone is impatient." He offered, knowing he was just as bad as her at the moment.

"Yes. Please Zekk." She pleaded again and he found he couldn't refuse this time. His fingers moved her panties aside and he pushed himself into her. Her groan rang in his ears and he didn't move for a moment, relishing the feeling for as long as he could. Eventually the urge to move came and he slowly retreated from her and thrust back in. Kara's arms found their way back around his neck and she lifted her other leg to his hip, his hands moving to cup her bottom as he drove into her again and again. Their breaths mingled as she kissed his lips briefly, then she moaned when he caught her lips fully and tangled his tongue with hers.

She felt the pressure build in her core and tangled her hands in his hair. Zekk was mindless as he let the passion take over, feeling her getting close to the peak. He increased his thrusts and she ripped her mouth away from his, mewling sounds escaping from her mouth. Zekk watched her face as she threw her head back as far as she could, lost in the feelings running through her. He couldn't pass up the sight of her bared skin and ran his lips up her neck to nip her earlobe lightly.

Kara repeated his name like a mantra and he gripped her bottom harder, wanting to see her fly apart when she came. He felt her tighten around him and he increased his pace as she fisted her hands in his hair, wanting to join her in completion. Watching her seemed to do the trick, because he followed close behind her. He buried his face in her neck as he slowed his pace and finally stopped. They were both breathing heavily, neither wanting to move but after a few minutes the position became uncomfortable and he let her feet drop back to the floor.

He wasn't sure he could form a thought at the moment, let alone speak a word, so he kissed her lightly and caressed her cheek while she recovered her wits. Her eyes fluttered open and he smiled softly at her. Leaning forward he kissed tenderly.

"We should probably take this in the other room." He told her, hoping she didn't make this a one time event. A shy smiled came to her face and she nodded, squealing when he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

* * *

_Later the next morning..._

Hotel room ceilings were always interesting. Of course he probably didn't want to know what had made the designs he was now staring at. It at least gave him something to think about other than the beautiful woman lying next to him. He sighed, a strange feeling of contentment falling over him. Which was hilarious because he knew scant about Kara.

He felt her stir and he turned to his side a little to watch her wake up. This was the first time he had ever spent the night after sleeping with a woman and it was a whole new experience for him. In his limited knowledge once they were done with him, it was goodbye and don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. Of course they hadn't exactly talked much last night either. At least not beyond two or three word phrases. He smiled at what they had said though and then frowned, thinking that probably wasn't a good idea to go there.

She stretched and he reached over, running a finger down her arm lightly. Her luminous blue eyes opened slowly and desire slammed into him again. _Down boy _he told himself as she smiled back at him.

"Morning." She said huskily.

"Morning."

"It is still morning?" She questioned, her brain finally starting to clear. Zekk chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, it's still morning. Just late morning." Kara snuggled closer to him and he wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his chin on her head. "Do you have something you need to do today?" He asked tentatively.

"No. I should call Cami though. She'll be worried." She mumbled, reluctant to move at all.

"And after that?"

She brought her head up and met his eyes.

"Are you trying to ask me if I'm free today?" She teased lightly, biting back a smile.

"No." He said, his face showing no emotion.

"No?"

"No. I'm trying to ask you if you're doing anything for the next few days…I'm just not doing it very well." Zekk confessed, shyly avoiding her gaze. Kara leaned forward to kiss his nose and his eyes darted back to her.

"No, I'm not doing anything. I would love to spend time with you." She whispered, her smile widening in tandem with his.

* * *

"Maybe you should slow down, Kara. Unless your plan is for me to carry you upstairs?" He joked. They had been in the casino of the hotel for about the last three hours and Kara was actually doing pretty good. She'd won more than she had lost, while he had stopped playing to watch her. If he wanted to, he could go over to the sabaac table but that would be cheating. He'd much rather watch her. Kara finished off her sixth drink and he raised an eyebrow when she set her glass down noisily.

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing handsome." She said coyly and he grinned at her flirting. While they had done so much in the last two days and he had had more fun than he could remember in his lifetime, he was not looking forward to the swiftly approaching deadline he had. Jaina could only give him four days off right now. There was too much going on and she needed him back on Bastion. This was going to be their final night together and he was dreading it. He wanted this to continue and with his job he didn't see how that was possible.

"You look too sad, Zekk. Have another drink." She encouraged him, then shrieked when she hit another small jackpot.

* * *

_One Hour Later… _

"You are a very rich woman right now, my dear." He teased as he pushed her towards the bedroom.

"I promise to share." Kara responded, giving him a saucy look.

"Is that all you're going to share?" Zekk asked as the back of her knees came in contact with the bed and she fell back onto it. He followed her and didn't let up his assault. A glint of silver caught his eye, but he ignored it. He had other things on his mind.

* * *

Zekk awoke suddenly, the image of an obese Luke Skywalker in a bright orange flightsuit refusing to leave his brain.

"What the kriff?" He mumbled, sitting up and holding his head in his hands. That had to be the worst dream he had ever had. His head pounded and he took a few deep breaths as he cleared most of the hangover with the force. He was definitely going to need some painkillers this morning. Finally able to move without wincing, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and went to push up when he saw something on his left hand.

A string of expletives left his mouth and he hoped he was imagining the sight. He closed his eyes then opened one slowly. Nope. Still there.

"Sith." He said quietly, turning to see if he had woken Kara. She still slumbered peacefully, her back turned towards him. As enticing as it was to stay in bed and wake her he had to see if this was for real. He slowly made his way to the fresher thinking of everything he had to do.

* * *

Kara awoke with a monster of a headache. Breathing hurt right now, let alone moving or thinking. She had drunk entirely too much last night…at least that's the part she remembered. Her stomach wasn't protesting so that was a good thing. Tentatively, she rolled to her side and when her head didn't explode she smiled, then frowned suddenly.

Why was she picturing Luke Skywalker? Taking a deep breath she attempted to open her eyes and was thankful the windows were shadowed when she did. Sunlight peeked out from around the window shades and she wondered what time it was. Her eyes traveled to the side of the bed next to her and she frowned. Zekk. Images flew at her and she winced as her brain protested. Zekk. Gambling. Drinking. Sex….oooo that one wasn't too bad. Drinking. Ring.

Kara sat up straight in her bed, her panic overriding the pain of her actions. She looked down at her left hand where it was clutching the sheet and gasped. Oh. My. God. There was a ring on her finger.

* * *

Meekly, she walked into the hotel bar, thankful that it was early and there weren't many people here. The bartender smiled widely at her as she approached and she felt her already upset stomach convulse.

"Well good morning there, sunshine. Congratulations." He told her as he handed her a glass of water.

Kara sat down heavily on the stool and let her head fall into her hands.

"Gods…it's true then."

"Well now, you're not exactly acting like a newlywed now are you." He joked but when she didn't look up he got nervous. "Miss?"

"I can't believe this is happening to me." She whispered, sure she had stepped into another dimension or she was still dreaming alcohol induced images. One of her hands fell to the scarred counter and her eyes caught the terribly gaudy ring that decorated her left hand.

Her parents were going to kill her. Cami was going to freak.

She was married.

The only problem was she didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. So she did neither. Zekk. She had to find Zekk. He would be able to help her figure this out, but where was he. She hadn't gotten his comm number. She hadn't needed it since they'd been together the whole time. Kara started to ask the bartender if he had seen him when something stopped her.

Turning on the stool, she found Zekk standing at the entrance looking…very un-Zekk like. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets and he wasn't standing up straight like he normally did. Her panic eased a little as he walked towards her. When he stopped in front of her, he gave her a pained smile and her stomach plummeted again.

"It's true." She whispered. Zekk nodded and she felt like crying.

"Let's go somewhere and talk." He told her as he held a hand out. She stared at it and for a second Zekk freaked. He'd spent all morning walking around and trying to figure out a way to fix this. While the prospect of being married to Kara wasn't unappealing, he had hoped to take this a little slower. He started to lower his hand when she grabbed it and pulled herself down from the stool.

The pain in his chest eased slightly and he turned to walk out of the bar with Kara at his side.

They had made their way to the garden located on the south side of the hotel. The dome above them kept it a comfortable temperature at all times and he was thankful for that at the moment. He was nervous enough as it was. Zekk found an empty stone bench tucked in a corner and led her to it, letting go of her hand when she sat next to him. He rubbed his hand over his face and leaned forward onto his knees, wondering how to start this painful conversation.

"Kara, I'm so sorry." He told her after a few minutes of watching people stroll through the park.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't exactly do this on your own Zekk. I was right there too."

"Because I never should have let it get this far." Came his whispered response. Her head turned to pin him with an angry and confused gaze.

"So I was just a way to pass the time?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"No." He answered quickly. "No, it's not that. I…I just shouldn't have let myself get so wasted last night. I'm a freaking Imperial Knight and I didn't act very much like one." Her anger died quickly and she reached over to grab his hand as she heard the censure for himself in his tone. She didn't blame him. They had both been blitzed and equally shared the blame.

"Zekk, don't take all this on yourself. We'll figure something out." She told him, her other hand moving to cover the hand she was holding.

"I can talk to Jaina. Maybe she can get them to nullify the marriage."

Kara smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" She teased, not sure why or when being married had suddenly stopped bothering her so much. Zekk glanced up and frowned at her. "So, what's my new last name? I at least should know that before we go any further."

He tensed up and Kara raised an eyebrow at him.

"Zekk?"

"Your last name is the same as it was before."

"What?"

He swallowed visibly, clearly not comfortable with this subject.

"Kara, I don't have a last name."

"How can you not have a last name Zekk? Everyone has a last name."

"Not me."

"How is that possible?"

He took his hand from between hers and stood, his tall frame starting to pace in front of her. Before she could ask him another question, his comm went off. Turning his back to her, he answered it.

"Zekk."

"Where are you?" Came the soft alto voice on the other end.

"Damn Jaina, were you already on your way?"

"No, we left early. What's wrong Zekk? I can feel your worry from here?"

He glanced over at Kara and sighed.

"I'll explain when you get here. Wait, you said we. Is Jag with you?"

"I missed you too, numnut." He heard Jag shout and actually found he could smile still.

"Let me know when you land. I'll meet you there."

"Will do." Jaina responded, then cut the call off.

"The emperor and his wife are coming here?" Kara said, shock on her face.

"Yeah. They weren't supposed to be here for another few days. My guess is Jaina got antsy."

She stood and walked over to him, placing her hand on his forearm. The overwhelming need to touch him had hit her and she hadn't fought it. Sure, she was confused as could be but Zekk still calmed her in a way she hadn't experienced before.

"So you're not just a Knight, you're actually friends with the Emperor?" He chuckled at her and she blushed, ducking her head. "I'm sorry. I know the basics of what happened with the Jedi during the war, but I will confess I didn't pay that much attention. Considering it was so big and so far removed from me it was actually easy to do."

"You're lucky." He whispered and she brought her eyes up to meet his again. "I wish I could forget it sometimes."

"It was hard on you." She said, not asking. The sadness in his eyes was profound.

"Yeah. In a myriad of ways that you don't really want to know about."

"What makes you think…" Zekk's comm interrupted her again and she sighed. It was Jaina telling him that they had arrived. He finished the call then turned to give her a small smile.

"Wanna go with me?"

* * *

**Leave some love! Please.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own this crap, but I wish I did. Jacen would still be alive and J/J would have a few kids by now. **

* * *

Kara fidgeted as he drove the speeder towards the hangar to meet the Emperor and his wife. Stars, she must have been mad to agree to go with him. She snorted to herself. After everything else she'd been through in the last three days this was just the filling in the rhyscate. Zekk had been quiet the entire time and it made her nervous. While she didn't exactly want to get married this fast she was starting to fear that their budding relationship had been irrevocably damaged by their lapse in judgment. She really liked Zekk. A lot. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave and never see him again, but that's where her thoughts had been leading all morning. He was slowly pulling away from her and it hurt.

He pulled into a spot near the hangar and they got out, walking towards the building. She heard Zekk groan when they reached the entrance and saw the man standing there grin at them.

"She didn't tell you I was here, did she?" Valin teased, holding a hand out to shake Zekk's. It had been a few months since he had seen the younger man. Jag had been away babysitting the Moffs and of course Valin had gone with him.

"No. I would have shot myself first." He snarked, as the two men walked through the door. Kara followed silently, not wanting to open her mouth for fear of making a fool of herself. Oh Gods. She hoped they didn't hate her for what had happened. The last thing she wanted was to be in trouble with the emperor. She heard Zekk chuckle and he fell back to walk by her.

"Stop worrying. Jag's not going to have you executed for what happened. If he kills anyone it will be me." He joked, giving her a wink before he turned his attention back to the small group they were rapidly approaching. She grabbed his hand for support and he chuckled again. Kyp stood to Jag's right and the older man raised his brow in question as they approached.

_Stow it, Durro_n. He sent to his friend and rolled his eyes when Kyp smiled.

_We are so talking later_. Kyp sent back and let the smile fall from his face for the most part, ignoring the glare Zekk gifted him with.

Zekk felt Kara tense next to him and he swung his gaze back to their guests. Jag looked like he always did. Cold and hard. He knew that it was necessary to keep up appearances when out in public, but there was no one around right now.

"Jagged, stop scaring the poor girl." Jaina chastised him and Zekk felt Kara's anxiety ease a bit. "You must be Kara. It's so nice to finally meet you." Jaina told her, reaching out to shake her hand. His wife…wow…that was gonna take some getting used to…shook her hand, but sent him a confused look.

"Later." He whispered and she nodded almost imperceptibly.

"It's nice to meet you, too." Kara said quietly, still clinging to Zekk's hand.

Jaina nudged her husband and inclined her head slightly towards the woman. His lips twitched slightly before he spoke.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kara."

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to address you." She muttered shyly, knowing she was making a fool of herself. Jag started to respond when he was interrupted.

"Just call him 'Your Royal Badassesness'. That's what we do." Valin offered from Jaina's left. Kyp smiled widely but managed to keep his snort in. On the other hand, Jaina and Zekk didn't. Looking over to fix Valin with a glare, Jag cleared his throat and smiled at Kara.

"Jag will suffice for the moment." He offered, giving her a small smile and putting her at ease…a bit. Jag's gaze moved over to Zekk's and his face became a mask of ice again. "We need to leave soon Zekk." Her husband nodded at her side and the small party started back towards the shuttle, Jaina giving Kara a parting smile.

Zekk waited until they were all on board, then turned to her.

"I can't stay, Kara." He told her quietly as he sent his friends a warning to stop eavesdropping.

"I know."

"Come with me." He told her, making an impulsive decision, which really wasn't like him. She stared at him and he saw the war she fought with herself at his suggestion.

"Zekk, I have a job here. My family, my friends…I want to but…"

Zekk sighed and nodded, pain in his emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do that." He said, pulling her to his chest and wrapping his arms around her. "There's something here, Kara. I don't know what it is, but I feel it. I don't want this to be the end of it." He said into her hair.

Kara squeezed him tighter and pulled back to look at him. "Then make sure you come back." She whispered before she melded her lips with his.

* * *

"Are we gonna be nice to Zekk?" Valin asked, a grin cracking his face.

"What do you think?" Jag answered, earning a smack from Jaina.

"You guys, this is serious. Zekk is married!"

"Well you told him to come back here and fix the problem." Kyp snarked, earning a glare from her.

"I didn't mean for him to get married!" She said, her voice becoming defensive.

"Do you think she'll come back with him?" Kyp mused quietly after a few minutes of silence from the group. Before anyone could answer, they heard steps coming up the ramp and then the sound of it closing. Jaina turned her seat back around to the console and started the warm-up procedure. She felt her husband's internal fight next to her and tried not to smile. He was worried about Zekk and his worry was warring with the need to give his friend the biggest dose of shavit that had ever been unleashed.

Zekk didn't appear in the cockpit and Jaina started to get worried. They always sat in there until they went into hyperspace. Sighing, she unbuckled her crash restraints and moved to stand up when Jag stopped her.

"Give him a little time to himself, Jay." He told her quietly, his eyes almost pleading with her.

"That's rich coming from you. You guys are going to give him crap about it."

"Yeah, but that will be later. When he's not so sensitive about it." Kyp argued, closing his mouth when she glared.

* * *

He walked into the room he shared with Valin and sat heavily on the bed, his hand coming up to cradle his head. This was not going to be a fun trip home. He could already feel the guys busting at the seams to give him grief. Hopefully he would only have to kick one person's ass and it would stop. He fell back onto the bunk and threw his arm over his eyes. The door swooshed open a few moments later and he groaned out loud.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked as she crossed over and sat on Valin's bunk across from him.

"If I said yes would it make any difference?"

"No."

"Then no." He answered, his lips the only thing moving.

"You ok?" Jaina asked quietly.

"I don't know. The only thing I know is that I kriffed up bad." He mumbled, missing the smile that came to her face.

"No you didn't. You just got a little rushed."

"No, I got a lot drunk. Do you know who married us?" Jaina shook her head and even though he couldn't see her, he continued. "Some fat guy dressed up as your uncle in a Rogue flight suit."

Jaina snorted as she tried to keep the laughter in. Zekk raised his hand and swished it, giving her permission to let loose. She did and he found a smile coming to his face at the sound.

"Yeah, it's funny now. It wasn't when we woke up this morning."

"I'm sorry, Zekk. That's just…oh my gods. I can't wait to tell mom about that." Zekk chuckled at her comment and moved to sit up. He sighed deeply and finally looked at his friend.

"What if she's the one and I just messed up?" He whispered and Jaina's heart nearly broke at the pain written on his face. She stood and up and moved to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"You didn't do this on your own, Zekk."

He chuckled again. "That's what she said."

"I knew there was a reason I liked her." She told Zekk as he moved his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. The door swooshed open again and they both looked up to see Jag leaning against the doorframe, his brow arched.

"Do you two need a moment?" He joked, not able to hide his smile.

"Yeah, can you come back in ten minutes?" The Knight responded as Jag walked into the room.

"Go get your own wife, Zekk…oh wait." He laughed, even when Jaina stood up and smacked his arm.

"You promised to behave." She told him heatedly as his smile widened.

"No I didn't. Kyp was the one who said he would wait until later. I made no such promise." He practically whined as she pushed him out the door.

Zekk chuckled and laid back down on the bed. It was going to be a long ride home.

* * *

_A few hours later… _

"Go ahead. Let 'er rip." Zekk told them as he took a drink of water. He wasn't touching anything fermented for a while. They were wasting time like they always did for the long trip back. Playing Sabaac. Most people would be intimidated by playing with three Imperial Knights, but not Jag. He didn't care if they cleaned him out or not, because he still got to boss them around either way.

"You want us to fart?" Valin asked as the other two snickered.

"I can't wait until you guys mess up on something and then I can give you grief." He mumbled.

Kyp snorted. "I did all my messing up before I met you. So you missed out on that."

"I don't mess up." Valin said seriously, causing all of them to break out into laughter. He glared at his friends and took his turn.

Zekk turned to Jag, waiting for his comment. "And you?"

"That's what I have you guys for. You clean up my messes. Therefore, I have none." He commented, downing the rest of his drink in one gulp. They all arched their brows at him and he smiled. The group lapsed into silence as they concentrated on the game for a little while. Finally, Jag couldn't wait.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, knowing that Zekk would know it was him he was talking to.

"I don't know. I asked her to come back with me, but that really wasn't a fair question." He said, scratching the side of his head and frowning. "Her family is there--and her job. I wouldn't feel right if she left just for me."

"Why the sith not?!" Kyp asked, looking at him as if he'd grown another head. "Are you saying she was just easy?"

"No!" Zekk bristled.

"Then give her time. Woo her." The older Knight instructed as Valin giggled. Jag rolled his eyes and grabbed the young man's glass.

"You're done, Horn." He told him as he finished the drink for him.

"Yes, dad." Valin snarked, still giggling occasionally.

"Woo her?" Zekk said, picking up the conversation again.

"Yeah. Since you skipped that whole part, it might be a good idea to go back to it."

"I can't believe you, of all people, are giving me advice about women." He mumbled.

"Why not?"

"Mr. Bachelor himself." Zekk said, giving him a doubtful look.

"He's got a point." Jag offered.

"Well thank you Mr. Take 15 years to finally marry a woman." Kyp threw at him, causing Valin to dissolve into a fit of giggles again.

"Play nice boys." Zekk admonished. "You don't want to scare the kids."

"Please." Kyp snorted. "He's Horn's son. If Corran didn't scar him for life we sure as hell can't."

"Hey." The youngest occupant of the table said angrily. "Knock it off Durron."

"What are you gonna do, Horn?" Kyp taunted, leaning back in his chair and grinning at the man.

"Ok." Jag interceded. "It's time for bed. Everybody go." He ordered as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He and Zekk watched as the other two made their way out of the room, their conversation wafting back into the room.

"You sure they won't kill each other?" Zekk asked with a chuckle.

"Nah. They drank too much to bother anyone but themselves." Jag said as he cleared the table and put their game away. "How are you doing, really?" He asked, giving Zekk a quick glance.

"I'll be ok. Not sure what the heck I'm gonna do about this whole thing though."

Jag didn't speak for a while. Finally he had put everything away and turned to give his friend a sympathetic look.

"Do you think she'll ask you for a divorce?" He asked quietly.

Zekk sighed. "I hope not. I really like her, just didn't intend to go this far yet."

Jag nodded, moving away from the wall to walk out of the room. Zekk followed quietly, lost in his thoughts.

"Where're you going?" Zekk asked as Jag bypassed his and Jaina's room.

"I'm sleeping with Durron tonight, apparently."

Zekk laughed. "You got in trouble for your comment earlier, didn't you?"

Jag smiled and nodded. "It was worth it. The making up will be, too."

"Too much information, Fel!" He yelled as his friend disappeared into a room.


	4. Chapter 4

_Two weeks later…_

The bag made a muted thud as it landed on the floor just inside the door of her apartment. Mindlessly, she walked to her room to change out of her work clothes. Usually her monotonous job didn't get to her, but the last two weeks had given her nothing but time to think. Whereas her thoughts normally drifted to the next book she wanted to read or holofilm she wanted to see, now she thought of ebony black hair and emerald green eyes. She was surprised she hadn't been fired yet with all the mistakes she had been making. Banks usually didn't like it when their tellers' numbers didn't mesh.

Sighing, she dropped to the couch with a sigh and threw her arm over her eyes. If she could just get some sleep, she knew that everything would improve but she couldn't remember the last time she had a decent night's sleep. Wait, that wasn't true. She could remember it all too clearly and that was part of the problem.

The door swooshed open and she didn't have to see Cami to know it was her. Her bubbly personality always preceded her when she walked into a room. Groaning, Kara stayed where she was, only removing her arm from her face. She could feel Cami's stare and subsequent shake of her head because it had been a constant since he had left. Her roommate busied herself with changing her clothes and she heard her settle down into the chair by her head.

"Kara…I'm worried about you."

"Don't be, Cam. I'm totally fine." She whispered the emotions coming close to the surface like they always did.

"No, you're not. You sit around the apartment and mope all the time. You never go out anymore or want to do anything. Frag Kara, you don't even read your books anymore! Do you know how much that scares me?"

Kara knew it was a rhetorical question so she didn't even bother answering. Not that she would have anyway. It hurt too much to think anymore. She was dangerously close to being depressed and it frightened her as much as it did Cami. He hadn't totally deserted her. She got a comm message at least a few times a week from him, not that he talked about anything important. He usually called when he knew no one was going to be home and while she looked forward to his messages, they also tore her apart.

"You really do like him don't you?" Cami asked quietly. Kara's breathing stopped as she frowned, wondering if her friend had actually asked the question. Not once in the last two weeks had Cami talked about Zekk. His name was never mentioned and he was never brought up. Swallowing painfully, Kara sat up and looked at her friend. She knew her heartache was written all over her face. A frown crept to her brow when Cami rolled her eyes and threw her hands up.

"You have to go to him." She said with authority as she stood and walked down the hall towards their rooms. Kara sat there stunned for a minute before she stood and ran after her.

"What?" She asked incredulously as she walked into her room and saw Cami putting clothes in a suitcase. "What are you talking about Cami?"

"You can't keep doing this. Take a vacation and go see him." She told her, not stopping in her packing of Kara's clothes.

"Cami, I can't…" Her roommate's head shot up and she glared at her.

"You can and you're going to. This has to stop Kara. If you don't want to be with him then you need to go and tell him you want a divorce. Otherwise, you need to start acting like a wife."

Kara's lips moved wordlessly as she tried to speak. Her brain was throwing excuses at her left and right but her body wouldn't voice them. Because she knew Cami was right. She'd known it all along, but was too afraid of his rejection.

"What if he's changed his mind?" She finally whispered, her gaze dropping to the floor. Cami huffed and walked over to her friend, enveloping her in a hug.

"You won't know if you don't find out. Stop driving yourself, and me, insane. Go."

* * *

The two men walked quietly down the deserted hallway. The dim lights were just enough to keep the shadows at bay, along with sound. Their footfalls were soft, their pace unhurried but sure. At least a dozen times in the last two weeks Jag had resisted the urge to beat some sense into his friend. Zekk was miserable and instead of doing something about it, he was essentially moping. Not that he wasn't doing his job. Jag wasn't worried about being shot while Zekk was working. He was more worried about his friend's peace of mind right now.

They stopped in front of the lift, various whirring and mechanical sounds the only thing filling Jag's ears. He hated meeting with the Moffs. It was one of the things he wished he could delegate being Emperor, but he knew he couldn't. He and Zekk had once joked about sending Jaina in his place, but as soon as their minds had wrapped around the thought the fun had been over. That would definitely not work in anyone's favor.

"You sure you're up for this?" Jag asked Zekk softly, but his voice still held the usual authority.

"I said I was."

"Yes you did. But you've been distracted, Zekk. I need you to be on your best today."

"Don't worry. I'm more scared of Jaina than I am of you." Zekk retorted, bringing a smile to Jag's face.

"Good."

* * *

_Two days later..._

She stepped off the transport and inhaled the fresh air. Having never been to Bastion she could actually convince herself this was a vacation and that she wasn't just skipping work. She couldn't, however, forget her exact purpose here. Kara had argued with herself the entire trip and she was mentally exhausted. Right before they had touched down, she had finally decided to seek Zekk out first. If she didn't, then her procrastination would kick in and she would go the whole time here without fulfilling the purpose of the trip.

Sighing, she joined the stream of passengers going through the security checkpoint. A thought popped into her head as the officer scanned her ID. Her name would pop up into a database somewhere on the planet. She wondered if Zekk would find out she was here before she found him. Well, it was too late for that now. Maybe that would make things easier in the long run.

* * *

Jaina had just gotten out of the fresher when the comm console started flashing. Thinking it was Jag, she hurried over to it and punched the button.

"Yes?" She answered.

"Ma'am?"

"Stop it, Valin. What do you want?" She asked as she rolled her eyes at the young man.

"You remember that alert you put out when we got home two weeks ago?" Valin said, his voice teasing her.

Jaina frowned for a moment before she realized what he meant.

"She's here?"

"Either that or someone using her ID. You want me to have her picked up?" A chuckle entering his voice.

"No. I guess it's not possible to track her until she uses her ID again." Jaina responded, thinking out loud more than answering Valin.

"Now, Jaina. I'm insulted." He retorted. "I'm an Imperial Knight. Since when can I not find someone?"

* * *

Kara sighed as the speeder accelerated away from the curb. She looked up at the residence in front of her, surprised by the lack of security.

"Oh, it's more than secure. You just can't see it." A voice behind her said, startling her and causing her to nearly trip over her luggage. She tried not to shriek when a hand reached out to steady her and turned to see the young man that had greeted Zekk when they had arrived at the hangar two weeks earlier.

"Knight Horn?"

His face lit up with a smile as he righted her. "I'm flattered you remember me Kara." Valin told her mirthfully. "Should I assume you're here to see Zekk?"

Kara nodded, still a little overwhelmed by the fact she was here. Coupled with her anxiety her brain wasn't quite working normally yet. She watched, a little detached, as Valin picked up her bag and jerked his head towards the entrance of the…well it couldn't be called a house. It was much too elaborate for that. More like a mansion, but even that didn't seem right. Silently, she followed Valin not really paying attention to him as she took in the scenery around her.

Valin stopped in front of her and she almost ran into him, managing to stop just before doing so. She heard him chuckle and knew her face was turning red. He punched a few buttons into the door controls and stood back to allow her to precede him. She did and her eyes got wider, if that was possible. The tall, ornate ceiling was decorated to resemble a sunny afternoon sky. Complete with clouds, birds and even a couple of ships, she found herself unable to move.

"Kara!"

Her name being called jolted her out of her reverie and she turned to see Jaina coming towards her. She bit her lip lightly as the Emperor's wife walked towards her, eagerness showing on the woman's beautiful face. Kara extended her hand to Jaina, but she was surprised when she was enveloped in a hug instead. Her shock prevented her from reciprocating, but Jaina didn't seem to mind.

"I'm so glad you decided to visit." Jaina told her enthusiastically as she pulled her over towards one of the couches. Sitting across from her, Jaina smiled then called out over her shoulder. "Bye, Valin."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm making myself scarce." He muttered, going through a side door as he chuckled.

"Um…thank you." Kara said uncertainly. She hadn't expected this kind of reception. Actually, she hadn't expected any kind of reception and her senses were on overload. Jaina frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just excited to see you here. It's been two weeks and I thought…well it doesn't matter. You're here now and all I can say is thank the Force." Jaina finished, starting to get nervous when Kara still looked shell-shocked.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea…" Kara started nervously as she started to rise off the couch, but Jaina wasn't having it.

"Uh-uh. You're not going anywhere. Zekk can't seem to pull his head out of his ass and if I have to lock the two of you in the same room there's going to be some resolution to the situation." Jaina told her, an air of authority creeping into her voice. "Zekk has been kriffing miserable for the last two weeks and I'm hoping you have been too."

Kara frowned at the woman, causing Jaina to laugh. "You know what I mean." She offered. Jaina started to continue when her comm went off. Smiling apologetically, she answered. "Yes?"

"Well hello there, beautiful. How are you today?"

Kara marveled at the transformation in Jaina's face. The love she and Jag literally shone through her and she felt a twinge in her heart. What she wouldn't give for that kind of thing, she thought then chastised herself immediately. Everything had happened so fast for her and Zekk and she wondered if that would ever be possible for them.

That's the point of this trip, dummy. She told herself as she tried not to listen to the conversation.

"Is Zekk still with you?" She heard Jaina ask.

"Not right this second." Jag answered, then paused. "What are you up to?" Kara had to smile at his question. He apparently knew his wife well.

"Tell him he's coming to dinner tonight and he has to dress nice. Not his usual ensemble. I don't want to see him in any sort of uniform."

"Jaina…"

"Just do it Jag. Trust me." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"All right. But if this blows up in your face…"

Jaina looked up at Kara and smiled warmly. "It won't dear. Just give him the message and I'll see you at dinner tonight."

* * *

The next few hours were like a dream for Kara. Jaina had proclaimed the clothing she bought unsuitable for dinner that night and had insisted on buying her something new. It hadn't mattered how much she protested, it had fallen on deaf ears. She did however enjoy Valin's discomfort for the trip. Jaina had dragged him along and his surly posture and responses had entertained the women all afternoon.

They arrived back at the residence about an hour before dinner giving Jaina enough time to help Kara get ready. The dress they'd chosen was a simple black one and Kara was extremely grateful for that fact. She wasn't one for frilly things and she noticed when Jaina came back from getting herself ready that apparently she wasn't either. The activity of the afternoon had allowed her to forget her anxiety for the afternoon, but now it was coming back full force as the two women walked down a hallway to the dining room.

They walked alone, Jaina having dismissed Valin earlier. He had wished them a good night, then winked at Kara as he left. They paused outside the door to the room and she took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. Jaina smiled and reached over to squeeze her hand.

"It'll be fine. Trust me."

Kara nodded as Jaina turned to open the door.

"Lady Fel." An older gentleman greeted her as they stepped into the room. Jaina smiled at the man and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Hello Nyall. I can't wait to see what you've done with dinner tonight." She told him as the two walked further into the room, Kara trailing silently behind them. This room was just as exquisite as the others she had seen and she found herself forgetting about her nerves as she took in the ornate furnishings. She only half listened to the pair in front of her. When the sound of their voices suddenly changed, Kara realized they had made it to the open dining room and as her eyes roamed across the room she suddenly stopped.

He was staring at her, his eyes deepening in color like they always seemed to when he saw her. The sounds of the room were muted, her heartbeat seemingly in her ears. He was dressed in a pair of tan pants and a black shirt and while the outfit was simple, he made it look so much more than that. It took her a moment to realize that the room was enshrouded in silence as Jaina and Jag watched the two of them expectantly.

"Kara." Jag said quietly in greeting as he tried not to chuckle at the couple across from them.

"Your majesty." She said mindlessly, her gaze not leaving Zekk's. Jag smiled widely as he shook his head and glanced at his wife.

"Come on Jag." Jaina said, shooting him a smile. He frowned at her, then realization dawn in his eyes.

"You are shamelessly mean, dear." He told her quietly as he allowed her to lead him out of the room.

Zekk stood there, his brain working furiously to say something halfway intelligent to Kara. To say he hadn't expected to see her here was the understatement of the year. The second he had felt Jaina coming down the hall he had known the signature of the person next to her.

"Hi." He told her quietly, neither moving from their spots. She hesitated for a moment, then gave him a small smile.

"Hi." She responded quietly. Emboldened by her apparent acceptance of the situation he took a few steps forward, bringing him within a meter of her. He was afraid to get any closer, for fear that she wasn't really here and would disappear if he made any attempts to touch her.

"I'm sorry…" He started but stopped when she held her hand out and gently touched his arm.

"Don't. We could both stand here all night and say we're sorry til we were blue in the face. I'd rather not do that, if it's ok with you." She asked hesitantly. Zekk searched her eyes for a moment then smiled.

"I'd like that."

* * *

**A/N: I know some of you might think that was a little OOC for Jaina, but I think she would be extremely happy Kara showed up. For Zekk's sake. **

**That's all. Go about your business now. **


	5. Chapter 5

**OMG! Yes. It's done. Try not to hurt yourselves in your excitement.**

**Thanks to Cyn for helping me figure out what the hell I was gonna do with this last chapter. Ugh. The idea is not either of ours exclusively. We pilfered it from a movie. I don't remember which one, but I don't own the concept of course. **

**My most awesomeness beta in the world, Jade Eyes for patiently waiting for my muse to get her ass in gear! **

**Thanks to everyone who read also! **

**Last time on the Idiotic and Depressed: **

"_Hi." He told her quietly, neither moving from their spots. She hesitated for a moment, then gave him a small smile._

"_Hi." She responded quietly. Emboldened by her apparent acceptance of the situation he took a few steps forward, bringing him within a meter of her. He was afraid to get any closer, for fear that she wasn't really here and would disappear if he made any attempts to touch her. _

"_I'm sorry…" He started but stopped when she held her hand out and gently touched his arm. _

"_Don't. We could both stand here all night and say we're sorry til we were blue in the face. I'd rather not do that, if it's ok with you." She asked hesitantly. Zekk searched her eyes for a moment then smiled. _

"_I'd like that." _

* * *

Subconsciously, he knew his friends had left the room and that they were alone now, but he couldn't find the strength to move from his position. Sighing internally he committed the sight before him to memory. How many times had he imagined this exact moment in his head the last few weeks? Of course when he thought about it, the vision usually ended with Kara telling him she couldn't do this and leaving him. Jaina had told him that it was just his insecurity talking. Which usually caused him to tell her to kriff off. Leading Jag to separate the two of them while Kyp and Valin laughed their asses off somewhere in the room. It was a nasty, vicious cycle.

She looked even more beautiful than she had the last time he had laid eyes on her, if that was even possible. He stared at her for a few more moments until he saw her shift nervously. _Ass_. He chastised himself and started walking towards her. Grabbing one of her hands he leaned down to kiss the back of it while keeping his eyes on hers.

"Nyall will be very upset if we don't eat." He told her quietly as he straightened back up. _Well that was romantic…not! _Great. Now he was talking to himself.

"I'm not sure it's Nyall I'm afraid of." Kara replied, causing him to laugh.

"Yeah, you spent the day with Jaina all right." She smiled brightly at him and his heart thumped at the sight. "Force, I missed that." He whispered, then stiffened as he realized he had spoken out loud.

"Missed what?" Kara asked, confusion coloring her eyes.

"Your smile." Zekk conceded.

One of her eyebrows came up and he chuckled at her mock glare. Zekk motioned towards the table and stopped her when she moved to sit down. He gazed into her eyes for a moment then smiled softly.

"That's all you missed?" She teased as he pulled the chair out for her to sit. Zekk leaned down so he could whisper in her ear and she shivered when his breath fanned over it.

"No, I missed a few other things too." She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and couldn't look at him as he took the seat across from her.

They ate in silence for a short while stealing glances at each other. He knew they needed to talk about the situation tonight, but he was loathe to bring the subject up and ruin his happy mood. Force love her, Kara managed to get them through the meal with small talk. Asking him how the IK's were doing and inquiring about any recent missions he had been on. He answered all her questions easily and found himself slowly relaxing enough to ask what she had been up to.

Finally they finished and he placed his napkin on the plate and stood up, offering her his hand. Kara smiled at him and eagerly took the offer as he led her over to a door on the side of the room.

* * *

The room was magnificent and she knew her mouth was hanging open. It was a small room, but the fact that it was all glass made it seem impossibly big to her. She let go of Zekk's hand and turned to take in the entire sight. Stars sprinkled through the glass ceiling, complimented by the subtle lighting of the room. The smoky haze that covered the glass prevented anyone from seeing in very clearly, thus rendering the room relatively private. She came full circle and lowered her eyes to meet his, seeing amusement in his emerald gaze.

"I'm sorry. I probably look like a fool right now, don't I?" She said shyly, lowering her face to stare at the floor. Even the floor was exquisite! The heavily veined marble was grey with flecks of blue and green mottled through it.

Zekk walked over to her and lifted her chin, their gazes locking onto each other heatedly.

"No. You look stunning." He whispered as he leaned down to kiss her softly. Zekk was determined to keep it gentle, knowing that he couldn't lose his head right now. Not until he knew where this was going. He broke the kiss and opened his eyes, smiling at her for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.

"We need to talk about it." He told her and sighed when she nodded. Taking her hand again he pulled her over to one of the couches that lined the wall and sat down, bringing her with him. She was flush with his side, his arm resting across her shoulders and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to lean her head against him.

"I've done a lot of thinking the last two weeks." Kara started quietly, glad he didn't interrupt. "I wasn't sure how I felt about all of this at first. I know I have feelings for you and they're strong. Stronger than anything else I've ever experienced. I also realized that I know very little about you. The funny thing is, that doesn't bother me as much as I think it should."

Zekk frowned slightly as he took a sip from his wine glass. "Why should that bother you?" He asked, his brows rising up when she tilted her head up to look at him.

"Well, the obvious. You could be some crazed psycho that just wants my money." She teased. Zekk laughed outright and sat his glass down on the table next to the couch.

"Ask me anything." He told her as he turned his body slightly to kick his feet up and face her. This brought their bodies closer in contact and she dipped her head to hide the blush that spread across her cheeks.

"Tell me more about yourself." Came her question, as she lay her head down on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

Surprisingly, Zekk didn't tense at the question like he thought he would. Usually his past was a sore subject for him but he found he didn't mind _her_ asking though. The Imperial Knight told her of his home planet of Ennth, and how its destruction had resulted in the loss of his family and an identity for much of his life. She chuckled as he told her of his escape from the refugee station and how he had been found by his first friend, that he remembered, Peckhum. How the old man had brought him to Coruscant and his various adventures as he explored the under city of the huge planet. She moved back and forth between tears and laughter for most of his story, never interrupting him. When he stopped his story, she still didn't speak as she let all the information he had just told her sink in.

"Do you worry about falling still?" Kara asked quietly. Zekk sighed and leaned down to press his lips to her hair.

"Not like I used to. There was a time when it was all I thought about. A day didn't go by that I didn't wonder if that was the day I would fail again." He said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. "I finally got to a point where my friends' reassurances started to penetrate my thick skull and I stopped worrying about it so much. Jaina and Jag have been…I don't think I can ever repay their friendship." He added, his voice becoming heavy with emotion.

"But you already have." She told him, tilting her head to look at him. Confusion raced across his face and she smiled. "It's obvious how close you are to them. I would venture that your friendship is more than enough payment."

A tear escaped from his eye and Kara reached up to wipe it away, sighing when he held her hand there and leaned into her touch. He had come so far, but she knew he still harbored doubts about himself. The only difference between then and now was that he was strong enough to not let it get in the way of living anymore.

Zekk leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. It was more potent than the last one and he nearly wept again when she responded in kind. Her arms came up to circle his neck and he pulled her further onto him, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other cupping the back of her head. Their lips moved hungrily over each other in a synchronized dance and he found himself forgetting how to breathe for a moment. It was like this every time he touched her. Chemistry was definitely something they weren't lacking.

He indulged himself for a few moments before he remembered where they were. A groan escaped her as he pulled his lips from hers and he chuckled.

"As much as I would like to continue this at the moment, I think Jag and Jaina have christened this room more than enough." He chuckled as he placed a chaste kiss to her swollen lips.

* * *

_Next morning…_

Zekk sighed lightly as he ran his fingers down the arm that lay across his chest. The sunlight was filtering in through the window across the room as he absently watched the trees sway outside. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night, afraid to close his eyes and give in to his fears. The fear that when he woke up she would be gone. Thankfully, he didn't have anything planned today since it was his day off. Funny how that had worked out.

He'd spent the night watching Kara sleep, when they weren't occupied with other things of course. It amazed him how natural everything was with her. There hadn't really been an awkward stage. Of course that could have something to do with the slight inebriation at the beginning of their relationship but he wasn't going to dwell on that. She was here now and he had to make the best of it.

A sigh escaped him as he stared up at the ceiling. He knew what he had to do, it was just doing it that seemed to be his problem. Everything in him screamed to be near her, but he was afraid he had waited too long. His brooding was interrupted when he felt Kara shift slightly and he couldn't help the smile that came to his face as she stretched. Her body brushed against his slowly before she settled herself back against his chest and sighed.

"Morning." His voice said into her ear.

"Morning." Came her husky reply as she tilted her head up to give him a small kiss.

"Did you sleep well?" She nodded her response and buried her face back in his chest. Now he knew why Jag and Jaina wanted to stay in bed all day. He would have to keep his mouth shut from now on when they did that.

The pair lay in silence for a while, Zekk still stroking his fingers down the skin of her arm. Finally, he spoke what they were both avoiding.

"How long can you stay?" He asked quietly, almost fearful of her answer.

"Two weeks."

"So I have two weeks to convince you to stay." Zekk said, not asking a question. Kara brought her head up to protest but he put a finger to her lips to stop her. "I have two weeks to convince you that it's worth staying. We both know I can't leave so the only option would be for you to be here."

Kara nodded gently and smiled.

"Guess I better get to work then."

* * *

The two weeks flew by much too quickly for both of them. Neither one of them ever discussed the time limit, almost afraid it would shatter the moment for them both.

Zekk had even asked off for a few days surprising both Jag and Jaina, but of course they had granted the time. He had never asked for anything before and Jaina was determined to help the couple out any way she could. They had spent most of their time alone, but had managed to meet Jaina's demand of shared time enough that she didn't hound him about it.

Now it was his last night with her…if he didn't say something. The problem was he wanted her to stay, very badly. But he was having problems actually forming the words to another person, let alone Kara. The last time he had professed his feelings had been with Jaina and of course that hadn't ended well. He was petrified of Kara saying no. The possibility had festered in his heart for the last two weeks and he knew that it was now or never.

Jag had danced around the subject, talking about it in generalities and Zekk was thankful his friend didn't push the issue. Because he knew Jag wanted to. Badly.

Now he found himself in the sitting room of his apartments, staring at the silver band in his hands. It shone brightly, even in the dim light of the room and he tried not to think about what he was about to do. The band was simple yet beautiful, just like Kara. He sighed again and sat back into the cushions of the couch, letting his head fall back in frustration as he clutched the ring tightly in his fist. A few days ago Jag had stopped avoiding the subject and said something outright.

"_Zekk the only advice I can give you is to tell her how you feel. If you know that is. At this point, you've got nothing to lose and you might as well lay all your sabaac cards on the table." Jag told him as they waited for the shuttle to land. _

"_What if I'm too late?" Zekk whispered. _

"_Then you can either wait for her to realize that she loves you to or chalk it up to experience and move on my friend." The older man had told him heavily. _

But he wasn't sure if he could move on. Kara had worked her way into his heart and he knew there was no getting her out. Strangely, the idea didn't upset him quite as much as he thought it would. At one point in his life he had been sure Jaina was the woman for him. Nothing could make him budge from that belief. It had taken a long time for him to realize that he had just been holding on to the idea of having someone and Jaina had been a convenient fill-in for that role. It wasn't Jaina he had been in love with. It was the idea of loving someone.

Zekk glanced up at the chorno and took a deep breath. He was supposed to pick her up in a few minutes but there was no sense in waiting any longer. He stood and pocketed the small ring as he started towards the door. His internal dialogue was muted as he walked down the hall to the room Kara had been staying in while she was here. Actually, she'd probably stayed in his room more but that really wasn't important.

Knocking softly on the door, he used the force to calm his nerves. There was no way he could stop the smile that came to his face when she opened the door. It was an automatic response whenever she was in his presence.

"Hey. Let me get my shoes on and I'll be ready to go." She told him, turning to walk back into her bedroom. Placing a hand on her arm he stopped her and allowed the door to close behind him.

"Just a sec. I need to say something first." Zekk managed to say as he pulled her towards him and gave her a weak smile.

"Okay." Kara responded hesitantly.

"It's not bad. Well I don't think it's bad. I guess it depends on your point of…"

"Zekk." She said suddenly, stopping his rambling and giving him an encouraging smile.

"Kara…" He dipped his head and broke eye contact with her as he gathered his courage. It was time to decide what he was more scared of. Telling her his feelings or living without her. His green eyes flicked back up to hers and he gave her a small smile.

"I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed these last two weeks. I've probably smiled more than I ever have in my life…at least that I can remember." He said, chuckling lightly buying himself a little more time to spit it out. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Kara reached up and ran her fingers over his cheek and he felt some of the tension fade away.

"Just say it Zekk." She told him softly.

"Kara, I love you and I want you to stay. Forever."

* * *

_1 year later…_

"I hate you Zekk!!!" Kara screamed at him as another wave of pain washed over her.

"I know honey." Zekk said as his wife squeezed his hand painfully. Jaina wasn't kidding when she had told him this would be traumatic. He sounded a lot calmer than he actually felt at the moment, but he knew he had to be strong for her.

"All right Kara, I need you to push the next time you feel the pain start." The doctor told her gently.

"When it starts?! It never stopped." She spat at the elderly man, who merely smiled at her and nodded. Had Kara not been trying to rip his arm off Zekk would have laughed. But that would have just resulted in her actually carrying her attempt out. Kinda hard to defend Jag with one arm.

Zekk felt the pain start to build in her again and leaned down to kiss her temple.

"Get ready to push, love." He whispered to her and bit back his own pain as he felt and heard her push with everything she had. Which wasn't much at the moment. She was exhausted and he knew that, but their son was being stubborn and not wanting to help.

"Very good Kara. One more push should do it." The doctor interrupted his thoughts and he sighed, placing another kiss to her temple. After fourteen hours of labor they were both exhausted, but he felt a little surge of adrenaline as he saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

He wondered if this was how Jag had felt when his daughter was born three months ago. His friend had been a nervous wreck for the last three months of Jaina's pregnancy and while everyone had given him grief, Zekk had held back his ribbing. Jag had a habit of paybacks and he hadn't been willing to take the chance of getting some of it during Kara's pregnancy.

A wailing cry registered in his weary brain and he realized he had missed the one moment he was waiting for. Well, that's what you get for thinking too much, dumbass. He chastised himself as he looked over and watched the nurses check over the baby. Zekk turned his attention back to his wife and smiled brilliantly at her, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face.

"Thank you." He whispered as he placed a kiss on her lips.

"I'm sorry I was so mean." Kara told him quietly with guilt in her face. He shook his head slightly and kissed her again.

"No worries, love. It was all worth it."

A nurse walked over and quietly set the baby into Kara's arm and Zekk couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight. He was finally content. Something he never thought would ever happen for him and it was all thanks to the beautiful woman next to him.

"It's over honey. You did so well." Zekk said as he placed yet another kiss on her temple, then a chaste one on her lips.

"No, it's not over. It's just beginning." She whispered back to him as they gazed upon the small child resting in his mother's arms.

* * *

**Yes, it was corny. LOL Apparently I was in the mood. **

**Hope you all enjoyed the story!!!!**

**~Sab**


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